alternariol and nivalenol

An LC-MS/MS method has been developed for the sensitive and selective determination of 35 mycotoxins (biomarkers of exposure) in pig urine samples. Sample preparation includes creatinine adjustment (with the developed LC-UV method) with enzymatic hydrolysis of pig urine samples followed by liquid-liquid (LLE) extraction. The LLE protocol, as well as enzymatic hydrolysis for indirect mycotoxin glucuronides determination, was optimized in this study. Additionally, two other sample preparation protocols were compared with the developed LLE method: immunoaffinity columns and solid-phase extraction cartridges (Oasis HLB). The detection and quantification of the biomarkers were performed using triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.The method was validated with regard to the guidelines specified by the EMEA (European Medicines Agency). The extraction recoveries were higher than 60% for 77% of the analytes studied, with the intra- and inter-day relative standard deviation being lower than 20% for most of the compounds at four different concentration levels. The limits of quantification ranged from 0.1 ng/mL for zearalenone and sterigmatocystin to 8 ng/mL for nivalenol. To the best knowledge of the authors, the matrix effect was evaluated for the first time in this study for six different urine samples, and the coefficient of variation was found to be lower than 15% for most analytes studied. Finally, the developed method was applied to analyse 56 pig urine samples. Deoxynivalenol (1-20 ng/mL), zearalenone (0.1-1.5 ng/mL) and ochratoxin A (1.5-15 ng/mL) were the main analytes detected in these samples. Moreover, the co-occurrence of alternariol monomethyl ether and alternariol in pig urine is reported herein for the first time.

Topics: Animals; Biomarkers; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Lactones; Liquid-Liquid Extraction; Mycotoxins; Ochratoxins; Solid Phase Extraction; Swine; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Trichothecenes; Urine; Zearalenone

A fast and efficient multimethod for the determination of 36 mycotoxins in wine, using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS), was developed, optimized, validated and implemented in routine analysis. A simplified, quick extraction was performed with acetonitrile, derived from the QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged and safe) approach, which was traditionally developed for pesticides analysis. This study aimed at a single extraction and chromatographic separation for 36 mycotoxins. Optimization tests were performed to find the proper ratio of wine: water and extraction solvent and the need for an additional buffering step with ammonium formate/formic acid and a dispersive SPE cleanup with various sorbents. The dSPE steps did not show significant improvement in analysis results, therefore, it was not applied in the final method to be validated. The mycotoxins were separated and detected on a UPLC-MS/MS system, used in the ESI positive ionization mode. The various mycotoxins were divided in three different concentration level groups, according to their sensitivity in UPLC-MS/MS. The validation was performed by analyzing recovery samples at three different spike levels with six replicates (n=6) at each level. Linearity (r(2)) of calibration curves, accuracy (recovery %), instrument limits of detection and method limits of quantification (LOD and LOQ), precision (RSD%) and matrix effects (%) were determined for each individual mycotoxin. From the 36 mycotoxins analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS (ESI+), 35 showed average recoveries in the range 70-120%, and 86% of these with a RSD≤20% at the lowest spike level (for Group I, II and III, respectively, 1, 50 and 10 µg kg(-1)). The higher spike levels showed even better results. Only nivalenol could not be quantified at any concentration level. The method LOQ for 86% of the mycotoxins studied was the lowest spike level tested. The matrix effect observed was low for most mycotoxins analyzed and had no significant influence on the analytical results obtained. The developed procedure was applied successfully in routine analysis in a survey of wine samples originating from different countries.

Topics: Acetonitriles; Buffers; Calibration; Chromatography, Liquid; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Food Analysis; Indoles; Lactones; Limit of Detection; Mycophenolic Acid; Mycotoxins; Ochratoxins; Pesticides; Reproducibility of Results; Solvents; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Trichothecenes; Water; Wine; Zearalenone